This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this public aircraft accident report.

On December 28, 2012, about 1015 Pacific standard time (PST), a Bell Helicopter, Model 407, N407KS, made a hard landing during a ground handling operation at Renton Municipal Airport (RNT), Renton, Washington. King County Sheriff’s Department was operating the helicopter under public-use. The commercial pilot was not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail rotor system and to the fuselage. The local law enforcement flight was preparing to departed Renton when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that while preparing to depart from the raised platform, as he increased the throttle the platform started to rotate. The pilot attempted to stop the rotation by retarding the throttle, but was unsuccessful. The helicopter came off of the platform and the helicopter sustained damage to the tail rotor system, fuselage, and the landing gear.

The platform was locally fabricated by the King County Sheriff’s Department. It consisted of a platform with 8 sets of casters (total of 16 wheels). The sheriff uses these carts to move aircraft in and out of their hangar. With the exception of the rear fixed casters, the remaining 6 sets of casters swivel. The fixed casters (one wheel in each corner of the cart) were chocked to prevent movement of the cart before the aircraft was operated.

Other operators at RNT use similar landing platforms which use six casters. It was noted that these operators chock the corner swivel casters to prevent movement of the cart.

RENTON, Wash. - One of the helicopters operated by the King County Sheriff's Office will be out of service for a while after an accident at the Renton Airport late Friday morning. The chopper, known as Guardian One, was taking off from the trailer used to wheel it in and out of the hangar, when it slipped somehow - a move described by KOMO AIR 4's pilot Gary Pfitzner as skateboarding - and the tail rotor struck the ground.

Some debris from the rotor went flying, but no one was hurt. The helicopter, one of four operated by the department, is the only one equipped with an infrared camera used to track suspects on the ground. The accident is under investigation.http://www.komonews.com

Damaged Guardian One helicopter

RENTON, Wash. — The King County Sheriff's Office helicopter Guardian One was damaged at the Renton Airport Friday. The helicopter came off its mobile landing pad. The tail rotor hit the ground and sent debris across the tarmac at the airport. No one was injured. The helicopter was taking off when the rotor hit. The extent of the damage or how long Guardian One will be out of service is not yet known. http://www.kirotv.com

King County Sheriff's Office
Guardian One, the helicopter that serves as aerial support for the King County Sheriff was damaged today in an incident during warm up. An investigation is underway.

The King County Sheriff's eye in the sky, helicopter Guardian One was damaged in an incident prior to take off on Dec. 28. Sergeant Cindi West King County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer said in a statement: "Earlier today our Guardian One Helicopter was preparing to respond to a burglary in progress and was damaged during the warm up phase .

The pilot was preparing the helicopter for lift off. Due to an unknown cause the helicopter became unstable on a dolly and was damaged. No injuries were reported.

The FAA responded to conduct an investigation and has released the helicopter to the Sheriff’s Office for repairs.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On December 18, 2012, about 1825 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-31-350, N62959, was lost from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radio and radar contact about 10 miles southwest of Payson, Arizona, during an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona. The wreckage was located the following day; the pilot had received fatal injuries. The flight was being operated as Ameriflight 3853 as a cargo flight for United Parcel Service (UPS), and was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity at the time contact with the airplane was lost.

According to information from representatives of Ameriflight and UPS, the flight departed Holbrook Municipal Airport (P14), Holbrook, Arizona, about its scheduled time of 1700, with a scheduled arrival time of 1730 at Payson Airport (PAN), Payson. According to the driver of the UPS truck who was at PAN and was scheduled to meet the flight, he never saw or heard the airplane. The driver left PAN about 20 minutes after the flight was due.

According to FAA air traffic control (ATC) information, the flight's first ATC contact was with Albuquerque air route traffic control center about 1812, when the airplane was at an altitude of 13,800 feet; the pilot requested a clearance to PHX. The flight was assigned a discrete transponder code, radar identified, and then instructed to proceed "direct" to PHX. The flight was instructed to be at 10,000 feet when it was 40 miles from PHX. Shortly after the airplane reached the assigned altitude, the pilot requested a lower altitude; his request was denied due to ATC minimum vectoring altitude limitations. Shortly thereafter, radio and radar contact was lost. The last primary radar target associated with the airplane was recorded at 1824:33, at a location of N34º 06.4794' by W111º 28.2604'.

Weather conditions in the area precluded an aerial search until the following day. About 0950 MST on December 19, 2012, the wreckage was located at the same approximate latitude/longitude as the last radar target associated with the airplane, at an approximate elevation of about 7,000 feet. The accident site was located about 12.4 miles, on a true bearing of about 213 degrees, from PAN.

According to FAA information, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings, and a flight instructor certificate with the same ratings. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued in August 2012. The pilot was an employee of Ameriflight. According to Ameriflight information, the pilot had a total flight experience of about 1,908 hours, including about 346 hours in the accident airplane make and model.

FAA information indicated that the airplane was manufactured in 1976, and was equipped with two Lycoming TIO-540 series engines. The airplane was registered to UAS Transervices, Inc., Pasadena, California. The airplane was equipped with two three-blade Hartzell propellers, and deicing boots on the wing and tail. Maintenance records information indicated that the airplane had about 19,200 hours total time in service, and had accumulated about 23,400 flight cycles.

The 1815 automated weather observation at PAN included similar conditions, except for scattered clouds at 2,600 feet agl, a broken cloud layer at 3,100 feet agl, and an overcast layer at 4,500 feet agl. AIRMETs for icing, IFR, mountain obscuration, and moderate turbulence for the accident site about the accident time were issued several hours before the accident. There were several PIREPs of light to moderate icing for central Arizona that were issued prior the accident.

Kappes, David J.
28, tragically left this life on the evening of 12/18/2012 while doing what he loved most...flying.

David was born 6/20/84 in Mesa, AZ. He graduated from Mtn.View H.S. in Mesa and then went on to earn his B.S. in Aeronautical Mgt. Technology from ASU. Growing up he was very active in sports , concentrating on swimming,baseball and snowboarding. He also loved the outdoors, especially exploring AZ. in his beloved Jeep.

David's passion was aviation and he was extremely proud and happy that his career in commercial aviation was taking off. His proudest day was when he was awarded his silver wings and hired on as a Captain for an air cargo co., Ameriflight. David had a wonderfully quick smile and a great sense of humor. He was a very loyal & kind person who loved life, friends and everything around him. A loving son, perfect in every way. He will be sorely missed by all. David is survived by his parents Joe and Ros Kappes, sister Michelle Krider and her kids....Aaron and Ashley...who adored David as their Uncle. Grandmother Beth Winkle, Grandfather Robert Kappes and many cousins, Aunts and Uncles.

A memorial service will be held in David's honor at Apache Wells Community Church, 2115 N. Gayridge Rd. Mesa, AZ 85215 on Sat. 12/29/12 at 2:00pm.

Bridgetown, Barbados (TDN) -- Built-in challengesCasual observers make facile comparisons between air transportation services in the Caribbean and elsewhere, without understanding the challenges that attach to Caribbean air transportation as a direct result of its history, geography and economy.If the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s membership is taken as the widest area, we are dealing with 31 island states; Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, The Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Barts, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Martin, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, U.S Virgin Islands and the mainland territories of Belize, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. This has implications for the complexity of any regional or sub-regional routing and scheduling system.The size and populations of these territories differ widely. There are small islands like Montserrat with 5,140 persons, Anguilla with a population of 10,300, Antigua and Barbuda with 87,884, Barbados, 286,705, Dominica,72,969, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 103,869. 14 of the islands have populations under 110,000 persons. This has implications for the level of demand, the through put at airports, the seat capacity that can be accommodated and for costs generally, whether it relates to airport development and maintenance, or airline operating expenditure.There are middle size states like Trinidad and Tobago with a population of 1,222,505, Jamaica, 2,868,380, Puerto Rico, 3,898,133, and there are the largest states like the Dominican Republic, with a population of 9,956,648, Haiti- 9,719,932, and Cuba-11,087,330. These states however have varying levels of disposable income and propensities to travel.Historically, the states mentioned above were owned by five different metropolitan powers with which they traded and developed separate and distinct services operating under different systems of law. There is a saying that transportation follows the flag. Therefore there has, generally speaking, not been a great deal of traffic between the different language groups, except with Puerto Rico. This island, for historic reasons is “Spanglish” rather than Spanish, and is a major hub for international carriers serving most of the region’s destinations.Within the large archipelago which is the Caribbean, there are smaller archipelago national states, for the governance of which transport connections are critical. These are the Cayman Islands, formerly linked with Jamaica, The Bahamas, comprising some 700 islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the British Virgin Islands , the U.S Virgin Islands and other forms of associated states, for example the OECS, and CARICOM itself.This combination of circumstances creates a nightmare for regional and sub-regional transportation of any kind, but especially for air transportation which becomes costly and often inefficient.Costs and subsidiesCaribbean States depend for their social and economic survival on air transport services. Some have had to face two realities. One is; owning a national carrier, because there are few private entrepreneurs willing or able to undertake transportation as a social service; the other is; subsidizing the costs of providing national air transport services in order to keep fares at a reasonable rate.In the case of the Cayman Islands, their support to their carrier extends to marketing and advertising it within the Tourism budget. Other Caribbean countries, depend heavily on these services, but make either no or little financial contribution to assist the carriers or the states that own them.The need for subsidies apply not only to air travel. Across the world the same need for subsidies to bus and rail services obtain to support the social and economic demands of the population. In the USA, many of the air services serving rural communities, with many features similar to those in the Caribbean, are subsidized by Federal funding, which atypically is supported by both Democrats and Republicans.A 2008 IATA study has also demonstrated that many journeys of similar distance in Europe and North America cost far more than LIAT’s base fares in the Caribbean.The much touted view that privatization is the answer to the problems of intra- Caribbean air transportation is demonstrably false. The Caribbean reality is that privatization of air transport services of Air Jamaica, BWIA and LIAT in the mid-1990s was a miserable failure, with the private sector operators demanding as much subsidies as were paid by government under public sector ownership.Several private sector airline ventures in the region have started and then disappeared. Moreover international private sector companies operating to and in the region, have had to seek government subsidies in various forms, such as route guarantees or/and marketing support. The trend continues; American Eagle, having declared bankruptcy in 2012, will cease to fly in the region after March 2013.British Airways will cease operating to San Juan, Puerto Rico, after March 2013, Virgin Airlines will cease operating its summer programme to Tobago in 2013 unless the government there pays them £ 1,000,000. On 7th December 2012, Iberia announced that it will cease to fly into Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic and Havana, Cuba, starting 1st April 2013. Surely other carriers will/ may take their place.But it will be at their price and they will decide on their own time of leaving, whatever they are paid. This is the kind of business that air transportation is.Public/private Sector OwnershipIn 1971 BWIA sold LIAT to a British Company Court Line and in 1974, CARICOM states saved it from oblivion by investing as shareholders in LIAT 1974 Ltd. After 10 years of privatization, the government of Jamaica was forced to take back Air Jamaica from private owners to save it, the government of Trinidad and Tobago took back BWIA for the same reason, and the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, became major shareholders in LIAT, again for the same reason.It should have been clear then that, if air services are to be guaranteed in the Caribbean archipelago, that the core intra-Caribbean air transportation services need to be owned and supported by government in some form, if they are to survive. Bahamasair and Cayman Airways have stuck faithfully to the concept of a government owned carrier, subsidized annually to maintain an airline service at reasonable prices. While acknowledging the need for the greatest possible efficiencies, they recognize that the airlines are unlikely to make a profit in the existing circumstances.CompetitionThere is no reason to shut out any competitor, private or public sector, which has demonstrated the financial strength, technical knowledge and will to compete on a level playing field. However, competition for its own sake simply makes no sense. Many of these arguments are fostered by the ideologies of liberalization, de-regulation and privatization, often based on a lack of local knowledge about the market and the absence of any personal skin in the game.Such advocates close their eyes and ears to the realities of the region outlined at the beginning; there is such a thing as over-capacity and under-demand on certain Caribbean routes, and, in the absence of a subsidy, attempts to entertain competition, especially on price on such routes, will lead to a blood bath of price wars and to haemorrhaging of cash.This can result in the bankruptcy of one or more services and, in a worst case scenario, of all operators. It has happened many times before, but more recently with Caribbean Star, Caribbean Sun, Carib Express, REDjet and others now forgotten. The more often this happens, the less likely private sector investors are likely to come forward. No lessons, however, are learnt by the arm chair analysts.Air transportation services within the Caribbean CommunityThe concept of a Single Market and Economy takes for granted the existence of an efficiently run and reasonably priced transportation service that meets the passenger and cargo needs of all Community partners. Until this is achieved, CARICOM should prioritize the discussion of this item at the highest level.The discussion should not, however, be restricted to how inefficient and expensive are the existing services paid for by a few countries, although this is a legitimate concern. It should also be about what are the reasons for the inefficiencies and what each member state of CARICOM, other destinations currently served, and all the various tourism partners, such as hoteliers for whom air lift is critical, intend to contribute, financially and otherwise, according to their abilities, to achieve the objectives desired.This is a discussion that many of those who now benefit, and will benefit even more from an improved service, have, to date, refused to entertain.The Need for Rationalization of Air Transport ServicesWithin the last decade, global air transportation services have experienced major financial difficulties and these have been addressed and efficiencies effected, largely by means of alliances and mergers between carriers that had often competed aggressively with each other. In Europe, North and South America, and even in the Caribbean, there have been no less than a total of 91 instances of such activities.In this region, there has been a clarion call for better communication, cooperation and alliances between Caribbean carriers that stretches over a long period. There are many forms to consider; code sharing, alliances, functional cooperation, a Holding Company, under which each carrier retains its separate persona and an outright merger where all entities become one.But there is nothing new about this call. The need for some form of cooperation between the government owned CARICOM carriers was addressed by the 1972 CARIFTA Secretariat Report.It was addressed by the CTO Functional Cooperation study commissioned by CTO when I was Secretary General and executed by Ian Bertrand and the Miami Aviation Services in 1993. It demonstrated how efficiencies could be achieved, money saved and services improved. Its findings were not implemented. Rather the governments chose to privatize the carriers and the idea inevitably died.Bilateral discussions between BWIA and LIAT morphed into an agreement in 2003 to form the Caribbean International Airways Holding Company (CIAH) out of BWIA and LIAT. Agreement was reached between the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to establish the CIAH company which was registered in Port of Spain. Suddenly, without explanation, Trinidad and Tobago, pulled out of the arrangement and the idea collapsed.Much has happened with air transportation, most of it negative, in the Eastern Caribbean between 2003 and 2012; Caribbean Star, Caribbean Sun, Air Jamaica, REDjet and EZjet have ceased to operate. LIAT and CAL ex BWIA, continue to struggle to survive. Many millions of dollars have been lost and Caribbean people continue to complain about the costs and the inefficiencies of airline services. LIAT promises a profit in 2013, if a number of difficult conditions are met. CAL too has outlined a plan for improvements, but warned not to expect a profit in the short term.Meanwhile, the Caribbean has announced the creation of yet another aviation committee, comprising people who are capable of once again articulating the problems. We wish it well, but hope that its advocacy role will focus on some of the real causes and effects covered in this paper and will not simply comprise a wish list of “Goodies”, as cheap fares that do not cover costs, competition, as a “good” on every route, whatever the consequences, and the removal of government and airport taxes, while suggesting no clear alternative on how the airports will be maintained and improved.Airlines need good airport infrastructure, which is very expensive to maintain. It is important to recognize that these issues are not being addressed for the first time and there is the need to take into consideration or/and be influenced by the evidence of history and by the factors affecting regional air transportation that have been delineated in this paper and elsewhere.Next StepsOf course, Caribbean carriers must take the hard decisions needed to put their own houses in order, but then so must all their partners. The basic objective must be to provide an acceptable service to the travelling public at reasonable costs, while cutting costs and increasing revenues.Speaking for LIAT, there are internal inefficiencies which the carrier and its several constituencies, including its industrial partners, recognize. These are currently being addressed in the LIAT Business Plan which is being presented to shareholders and other partners by the Chairman of the Board and the CEO.LIAT has made the case for capital investment to replace its aging fleet to both its present shareholders and to those who currently receive its services and are seen as potential shareholders. In some cases it awaits their responses.LIAT understands the reason for the high level of regional taxation on aviation and that they will not be removed by the stroke of a pen. Steps need however to be taken to analyse the matter scientifically and Heads of Government should turn to CARICOM and CDB for help in examining the situation to see what relief can be got and what options exist.Even in difficult global economic circumstances, improved services and better marketing of the airlines will lead to increased demand. But what role do hotels and Tourist Boards see for themselves in helping to market airline services wholly or partially owned by their own governments? For example, the Cayman Islands Tourist Authority is aggressive in marketing the services of Cayman Airways.With respect to financial support, LIAT expects to be treated no better and no worse than other airlines when asked to provide specific flights to a destination where its costs of operation cannot be covered by the air fares.What then can be done in pursuit of a sustainable air transportation service in the Caribbean? The major government owned carriers in the CARICOM Community are Cayman Airways, Bahamasair, CAL, LIAT and Surinam Airways.The persons who are well placed to effect the changes needed are the Heads of CARICOM and the airlines owned by CARICOM leaders are the carriers about which they can do something. But a service which is so critical to the survival of the Single market and Economy must be the concern of the entire Community.What is being recommended here is as follows:· That a special Meeting of CARICOM Heads of Government be convened early in 2013 to discuss regional air transportation and its critical role in supporting the Caribbean Single Market and Economy. The focus of the meeting must not be about blaming the airlines which have given a total of 200 years of service to the region and the countries which have subsidized the rest of the region.It must be about what is needed to get regional transportation right and what and how much each country which is a beneficiary of the services will contribute to the cause in its own best interests. The agenda must be wide enough to include a number of aviation issues which are related to the proper functioning of regional air transportation.· That the idea of CARICOM airline alliances must be once more put on the table and a committee, including representatives of the management of the carriers be established, without delay, to examine the feasibility of this concept.· That these deliberations take place with regard to the articles of the CARICOM Multilateral Agreement concerning the operation of Air Services within the Caribbean Community.

The Wall Street JournalAir travel is now the safest it has been since the dawn of jet planes, with the global airline industry set to mark its lowest rate of fatal accidents since the early 1960s.

There have been 22 fatal crashes world-wide this year, a number that includes all passenger and cargo flights, down from 28 crashes in 2011, according to data assembled by the Aviation Safety Network, which compiles accident and incident information online. That crash count is down from a 10-year average of 34 fatal accidents per year.

The U.S. hasn't had a fatal accident since a commuter plane crashed near Buffalo, N.Y., in 2009.

Airline safety has improved steadily over the years, and accident rates in the U.S. and elsewhere began dropping with the advent of voluntary incident-reporting programs that encourage pilots and mechanics to pass on information about mistakes without fear of retribution.

Other reasons for the safety improvements include better and more reliable equipment, improved pilot training, advances in air-traffic-control procedures and tighter regulatory oversight in some developing countries.

Of the year's 22 fatal crashes, just 10 involved passenger aircraft, and just three of those were larger Western-built jetliners.

The other seven passenger-plane incidents involved Western- or Russian-built turboprops, according to Ascend, an international consulting firm that assembles a separate year-end safety breakdown.

Russian-built planes typically fly relatively few passengers but historically have suffered much higher crash rates than aircraft made in the U.S. or by European manufacturers.

"Overall, it was the certainly the safest year ever," according to Paul Hayes, director of safety at Ascend. With one fatal accident per 2.5 million flights world-wide, this year "was almost twice as safe as 2011, which itself had previously" attained that distinction, according to Ascend.

But such improvements also underscore persistent safety problems that mean significantly higher crash rates—often by a factor of four or more—across much of Africa, Latin America and other developing regions. And even in the U.S., safety experts warn of potential dangers from pilots becoming confused by cockpit automation and increasing ground-collision hazards posed by congested airports.

There were 470 fatalities from air accidents in 2012, compared with an average of more than 770 people who died annually over the decade.

Mr. Hayes and his staff stressed in their year-end report that "unfortunately, we do not believe that the world's airlines have suddenly become this much safer." Instead, the report says the unexpected sharp drop in the global accident rate perhaps "should be considered more of a fluke than the new norm."

Experts believe that for regions with already record-low accident rates, future improvements primarily will require analyzing huge volumes of incidents and other flight data, culled from multiple carriers around the globe, to identify and eliminate safety threats.

The results are particularly impressive given the growth in world-wide passenger traffic. Some 2.9 billion passengers took to the air in 2012, a 5.5% bump from the previous year, according to the latest figures released by the International Civil Aviation Organization, an arm of the United Nations. With traffic climbing by double digits in some regions, ICAO projects total passenger numbers will double by 2030.

The Ascend report says Western-built jets had one fatal accident per 10 million flights in 2012.

"It's very hard to point to one reason to explain why this year was particularly so safe," according to Harro Ranter, president of the Aviation Safety Network, an affiliate of the Flight Safety Foundation, a global advocacy organization based in Alexandria, Va. Mr. Ranter said industry and regulatory initiatives, combined with outside audits by international organizations, "continue to stimulate countries to improve air safety."

Corky Townsend, director of aviation safety for Boeing Co.'s commercial-airliner unit, said "we are pleased and encouraged that the numbers" demonstrate steady improvement.

But she said it "doesn't mean there is any less" focus on pushing toward further improvements.

The statistics again underscore that turboprop operations, which typically carry fewer passengers and often tend to serve smaller airports than scheduled jets, have significantly higher crash rates.

To serve the developing world, turboprops generally fly into fields that are less advanced and are equipped with less-reliable air-traffic-control equipment than major Western airports.

International groups and independent safety organizations are stepping up efforts to help enhance pilot training, improve maintenance and tighten government oversight of turboprop operators.

The last deadly airline accident in the U.S. was the early 2009 crash of a Colgan Air turboprop approaching the airport in Buffalo, N.Y., which killed 50 people.

Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean continue to rack up a disproportionately large share of overall accidents and fatalities.

The regions together account for roughly 7% of today's global passenger traffic but have recorded nearly half of all 2012 airline accidents, according to Mr. Ranter.

Boosting safety in areas that are lagging behind will require enhanced technical cooperation and data sharing with the rest of the world, according to Kevin Hiatt, the Flight Safety Foundation's chief operating officer and its next president.

"We really need to start comparing what's going on around the world," said Mr. Hiatt, and then broadly distribute the lessons learned.

Some regions already are spearheading ways to achieve greater safety. Airlines, U.S. regulators and trade associations have successfully joined forces in Latin America and elsewhere to reduce accidents.

But in addition to turboprops, some other parts of commercial aviation aren't doing as well.

For the first time since the Flight Safety Foundation began compiling its detailed annual safety analysis in the late 1990s, this year has produced more business-jet crashes than passenger-plane accidents world-wide, Jim Burin, the foundation's director of technical programs, told a recent industry conference.

The result has prompted some safety experts to consider placing more emphasis on assessing that segment of commercial aviation.

Michael Zamora/Caller-Times
County Commissioner Jim Price closes the electric bi-fold door on his T-hangar Thursday where he houses his Cessna 210 at the McCampbell-Porter Airport in San Patricio County. The county plans to spend a $1.1 million grant to add 15 more hangars to its already full airport.

CORPUS CHRISTI — Millions are being spent at airports around the Coastal Bend, partly because of boosts in the economy due to Eagle Ford Shale and partly because repairs are long overdue.Joe Montez, executive director of the Bee Development Authority, is part of a group working to make the Chase Field Industrial Airport public. The first step is installing GPS so pilots can use instruments to land, rather than landing simply by sight. This means they'll be able to land safer when it's foggy or rainy.The price tag for the upgrade is $200,000, with $100,000 coming from the Beeville Economic Improvement Corp. The rest came from development authority and through private donations."Chase can serve the region because it is a very large airport," Montez said, declining to comment further on the movement to turn the private airport public.The city of Alice, on the other hand, is ready to spend $5 million on a variety of upgrades to the city's airport. For example, a new lighting system will be installed, crews will repave and re-stripe the runways and a precision landing instrument will be put in place. The funding is through a grant with the Texas Department of Transportation.Charles Brazzell, Alice airport manager, said the project was in the planning stages before the Eagle Ford Shale boom because the runways and taxiways needed an upgrade. Just over a year ago a company was hired to manage the airport, putting in new bathrooms, showers, snack bars and a pilot lounge."It's a brand new face-lift," Brazzell said. "It's really encouraging to be out here and seeing all this happen. We have had quite an influx of planes."Since all this boom with the oil companies and everything, we have a lot of executives that fly in and out," he said, adding that also H-E-B executives have been flying in to check out progress on the store's renovations.Another grant from the Department of Transportation will allow reconstruction of the asphalt runway and south taxiway at the Kleberg County Airport. The projected cost is $4.7 million.Meanwhile, San Patricio County is ready to spend $1.1 million through a grant with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation. The money will pay for 13 T-hangars and two box hangars. Currently, the airport has space for 50 aircraft, and it's full. The airport, conceived in 1986 and opened in 1994, is fairly new.There also are plans to build a crosswind runway under the Department of Transportation's five-year plan."Our growth has very, very little to do with Eagle Ford Shale," said San Patricio County Commissioner Jim Price, who oversees the airport, adding that the airport was at full volume several years ago. "We like to think that we're very general aviation friendly."Price believes there have been fewer people buying aircraft, and more people moving to the area. He surmised that some of the growth at the airport is due to a company hired to manage it.Ruben Saenz, Nueces County airport manager, said fuel sales are up at the Robstown-based airport, and he's doing everything he can to capitalize on the oil and natural gas boom. The county has some of the lowest fuel prices in the area, which lured one helicopter operator to fuel up at the airport, spending $4,000 in 72 hours. The county also is improving its credit card system to accept aviation cards and payments over $300.The airport committee also has plans to build hangars, runways and taxiways, but construction of Interstate 69 is stalling the planning stage. That's due in part because the city of Robstown has plans for a foreign trade zone north of the airport, and the committee believes it would benefit the county and city if they worked together on an entrance to the properties."We're looking at the big picture at what everyone else is doing, and we're trying to fit our pieces in," said Cecil Johnson, chairman of the airport committee. "We're going to make Robstown a corporate aviation headquarters, whether they know it or not. We're going to take a sow's ear and turn it into a silk purse."

NTSB Identification: WPR13FA07314 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Wednesday, December 19, 2012 in Libby, MTProbable Cause Approval Date: 02/04/2015Aircraft: BEECH B100, registration: N499SWInjuries: 2 Fatal.NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.When the flight was about 7 miles from the airport and approaching it from the south in dark night conditions, the noncertificated pilot canceled the instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. A police officer who was on patrol in the local area reported that he observed a twin-engine airplane come out of the clouds about 500 ft above ground level and then bank left over the town, which was north of the airport. The airplane then turned left and re-entered the clouds. The officer went to the airport to investigate, but he did not see the airplane. He reported that it was dark, but clear, at the airport and that he could see stars; there was snow on the ground. He also observed that the rotating beacon was illuminated but that the pilot-controlled runway lighting was not. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an alert notice, and the wreckage was located about 7 hours later 2 miles north of the airport. The airplane had collided with several trees on downsloping terrain; the debris path was about 290 ft long. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The town and airport were located within a sparsely populated area that had limited lighting conditions, which, along with the clouds and 35 percent moon illumination, would have restricted the pilot’s visual references. These conditions likely led to his being geographically disoriented (lost) and his subsequent failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear terrain. Although the pilot did not possess a valid pilot’s certificate, a review of his logbooks indicated that he had considerable experience flying the airplane, usually while accompanied by another pilot, and that he had flown in both visual and IFR conditions. A previous student pilot medical certificate indicated that the pilot was color blind and listed limitations for flying at night and for using color signals. The pilot had applied for another student pilot certificate 2 months before the accident, but this certificate was deferred pending a medical review. The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering to land in dark night conditions likely due to his geographic disorientation (lost). Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to fly at night with a known visual limitation.HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 19, 2012, about 0002 mountain standard time (MST), a Beech B100, N499SW, collided with trees near Libby, Montana. Stinger Welding was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The non-certificated pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed from impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Coolidge, Arizona, about 2025 MST with Libby as the planned destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the nearest official reporting station, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the pilot had been cleared for the GPS-A instrument approach procedure for the Libby Airport (S59), which was located 7 nm south-southeast of Libby. The pilot acknowledged that clearance at 2353. At 2359, the airplane target was about 7 miles south of the airport; the pilot reported the field in sight, and cancelled the IFR flight plan. Recorded radar data indicated that the airplane was at a Mode C altitude of 11,700 feet mean sea level at that time, and the beacon code changed from 6057 to 1200.A track obtained from the FilghtAware internet site indicated a target at 2320 at 26,000 feet that was heading in the direction of Libby. The target began a descent at 2340:65. At 2359:10, and 11,700 feet mode C altitude, the beacon code changed to 1200. The target continued to descend, and crossed the Libby Airport, elevation 2,601 feet, at 0000:46 at 8,300 feet. The track continued north; the last target was at 0001:58 and a Mode C altitude of 5,000 feet; this was about 3 miles south of Libby and over 4 miles north of the airport.A police officer reported that he observed a twin-engine airplane come out of the clouds over the city of Libby about 500 feet above ground level. It turned left, and went back into the clouds. The officer thought that it was probably going to the airport; he went to the airport to investigate, but observed no airplane. It was dark, but clear, at the airport with about 3 inches of snow on the ground, and he could see stars. He also observed that the rotating beacon was illuminated, but not the pilot controlled runway lighting. He listened for an airplane, but heard nothing.When the pilot did not appear at a company function at midday on December 18, they reported him overdue. The Prescott, Arizona, Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) issued an alert notice (ALNOT) at 1102 MST; the wreckage was located at 1835.PERSONNEL INFORMATIONA review of FAA medical records revealed that the 54-year-old pilot first applied for an Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate in August 2004. On that Medical Certification Application, the pilot reported having 500 hours total time with 200 hours in the previous 6 months. No alcohol or medication usage was reported; however, the pilot was determined to be red/green color blind.On June 9, 2010, the pilot reported on an application for an Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate that he had 925 hours total time with 150 hours in the previous 6 months. He was issued a third-class medical certificate that was deemed not valid for night flying or using color signal control.On May 16, 2012, the pilot received a driving while intoxicated (DWI) citation in Libby.The pilot reported on an application for an Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate dated October 16, 2012, that he had a total time of 980 hours with 235 hours logged in the previous 6 months. Item 52 for color vision indicated fail. This application reported a new diagnosis of hypertension, and use of medications to control it. This application reported yes in item 17 (v) for history of arrest of conviction for driving while intoxicated. The FAA deferred the issuance of the Student Pilot and Medical Certificate, indicating that they were investigating a failure to report within 60 days the alcohol-related motor vehicle action that occurred in Montana on May 16, 2012. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) reviewed copies of the pilot's logbooks beginning on March 21, 2010, and ending November 4, 2012. The entries indicated a total time of 978 hours during that time period. Time logged for the 90 days prior to the accident was 34 hours. The logbooks recorded numerous trips to Libby with three entries in the previous 90 days. The last solo flight endorsement, in a Cessna 340, was signed off by a certified flight instructor in August 2011. The logbook contained several entries for flights in instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions.The IIC interviewed the chief pilot for the company, who was hired to fly the Stinger Company's Cessna CJ2 jet, which they purchased about 4 years earlier. The accident pilot owned the company, and would typically have the chief pilot arrange for a contract pilot to fly with him in the accident airplane. The chief pilot was standing by to fly the owner in the CJ2, but the owner never contacted him or requested another pilot for the accident airplane.The IIC interviewed a contract pilot who flew with the accident pilot on December 16, 2012; this was their only flight together. It was a 6-hour round trip from Coolidge to La Paz, Mexico. The airplane was in perfect condition; everything was working, and they had no squawks. The pilot had paper charts, as well as charts on an iPad. The contract pilot felt that the pilot handled the airplane well, was competent, and understood all of the systems. The pilot coached the contract pilot on the systems installed including the autopilot. They used it on the outbound trip, and it operated properly. They used the approach mode into La Paz including vertical navigation. The pilot had no complaints of physical ailments or lack of sleep, and fuelled the airplane himself.The passenger was a company employee who was not a pilot.AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane was a Beech B100, serial number BE89. The airplane's logbooks were not provided and examined. The IIC interviewed Stinger Welding's aviation maintenance chief, whose 4-year employment was terminated about 1 month after the accident. He stated that the airplane typically flew 200-400 hours a year; the company had flown it about 800 hours since its acquisition. The chief was not aware of any unresolved squawks as the owner usually had him take care of maintenance needs immediately. The airplane had been out of service for maintenance for a long time the previous year, having taken almost 7 months to get the propeller out of the shop due to the repair cost. The maintenance chief said that the owner kept the onboard Garmin GPS databases up to date. The airplane was operated under Part 91 CFR, and inspections being delayed were: the 6-year landing gear inspection was past due; the 12-month items were due; and the 3-year wing structure and wing bolt inspection was due.METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONSThe closest official weather observation station was Sandpoint, Idaho (KSZT), which was 46 nautical miles (nm) west of the accident site at an elevation of 2,131 feet mean sea level (msl). An aviation routine weather report (METAR) issued at 2355 MST stated: wind from 220 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 miles; sky 2,800 feet overcast; temperature 0/32 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit; dew point -3/27 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit; altimeter 29.72 inches of mercury. Illumination of the moon was 35 percent.AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe Airport/ Facility Directory, Northwest Pacific U. S., indicated that Libby Airport had an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS)-A, which broadcast on frequency 118.575.Libby runway 15/33 was 5,000 feet long and 75 feet wide; the runway surface was asphalt. The airport elevation was 2,601 feet.The airport was located within the general confines of the Kootenai National Forest, and beyond the town of Libby; the area was lightly inhabited.WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe IIC and investigators from the FAA and Honeywell examined the wreckage on site. Detailed examination notes are part of the public docket. The center of the debris field was about 2.5 miles north of the airport at an elevation of 4,180 feet.A description of the debris field references debris from left and right of the centerline of the debris path; the debris was through trees on a slope that went downhill from left to right. The debris path was about 290 feet long along a magnetic bearing of 125 degrees. The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a topped tree with branches on the ground below it and in the direction of the debris field. About 50 feet from the tree were composite shards, and a piece of the composite engine nacelle, which had a hole punched in it.The next point of contact was a 4-foot-tall tree stump with shiny splinters on the stump. The lower portion of the tree had been displaced about 30 feet in the direction of the debris field with the top folded back toward the stump. Underneath the tree trunk were the nose gear and control surfaces followed by wing pieces.One engine and propeller with all four blades attached was about 50 feet from the stump, and on the right side of the debris path. This was later determined to be the right engine. Next on the left side of the debris path was the outboard half of one propeller blade; another propeller blade was about 10 feet further into the debris field.Midway into the debris field were several trees with sheet metal wrapped around them. Near the midpoint of the debris field, a portion of the instrument panel had imbedded into a tree about 15 feet above the ground. The wiring bundle hung down the tree trunk to ground level. To the left of the instrument panel was one of the largest pieces of wreckage. This piece contained the left and right horizontal stabilizers, vertical stabilizer, and part of one wing with the landing gear strut attached. The rudder separated, but was a few feet left of this piece.Next in the debris field was a 6- by 8-foot piece of twisted metal, which contained the throttle quadrant.About 100 feet right of the debris path centerline and downhill from the throttle quadrant was a 10-foot section of the aft cabin. This section was connected by steel cables and wires to a 4- by 7-foot piece of twisted metal.The furthest large piece of wreckage was the second engine; this was later determined to be the left engine. The left propeller hub with two blades attached had separated from the engine; the other two blades were located earlier within the debris field.MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe Forensic Science Division, Department of Justice, State of Montana, completed an autopsy, and determined that the cause of death was blunt force injuries.The FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot.Analysis of the specimens indicated no carbon monoxide detected in blood (cavity), no test performed for cyanide, no ethanol detected in muscle or kidney, and no findings for tested drugs.TESTS AND RESEARCHThe IIC and investigators from the FAA, Textron Aviation, and Honeywell examined the wreckage at Avtech, Kent, Washington, on February 13, 2013.Detailed examination notes are part of the public docket. Investigators observed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engines.The engines had been modified from Honeywell models to National Flight Services, INC., models per a supplemental type certificate (STC SE002292AT), and installed in the airplane per STC SA00856AT.The left engine was TPE331-6-511B, serial number P-27185C based on a Beechcraft data tag on the engine. The starter/generator input shaft fractured and separated; the fracture surface was angular and twisted.No metallic debris was adhering to the engine chip detector.The engine inlet fractured and separated from the engine gearcase housing. Earthen debris was observed on the first stage compressor impeller. Vanes of the first stage impeller were bent opposite the direction of rotation.Overall, the compressor case and plenum displayed crush damage. Upon removal of the airframe exhaust, investigators observed earthen debris within the engine exhaust. There was a fine layer of dried mud/earthen debris on the forward suction side of the third stage turbine blades. Investigators observed metal spray deposits on the third stage turbine stator vanes.All four propeller blades exhibited leading edge damage; a section of one blade was not recovered with the aircraft wreckage, but this blade's tip was recovered.The right engine was a TPE331-6-511B, serial number P27190C. Investigators observed rotational scoring in multiple locations on the propeller shaft. The first stage compressor impeller displayed tearing and battering damage; some vanes were bent opposite the direction of rotation. Investigators observed wood debris in the engine inlet area.Investigators observed metal spray deposits noted on the suction side of the third stage turbine stator vanes.All four of the right propeller's blades displayed leading edge damage and chordwise scoring. One tip fractured and separated; it was not recovered. All blades bent aft at midspan; they exhibited s-bending and tip curling.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On December 18, 2012, about 0002 mountain standard time (MST), a Beech B100, N499SW, collided with trees at Libby, Montana. Stinger Welding was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The noncertificated pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage from impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Coolidge, Arizona, about 2025 MST on December 17th, with Libby as the planned destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the nearest official reporting station of Sandpoint, Idaho, 264 degrees at 46 miles, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the pilot had been cleared for the GPS-A instrument approach procedure for the Libby Airport. The clearance had a crossing restriction of 10,700 feet at the PACCE intersection, which was the initial approach fix for the GPS-A approach. The pilot acknowledged that clearance at 2353. At 2359, the airplane target was about 7 miles south of the airport; the pilot reported the field in sight, and cancelled the IFR flight plan.

A police officer reported that he observed an airplane fly over the city of Libby, which was north of the airport; the airplane then turned toward the airport. The officer went to the airport to investigate, but observed no airplane. He noted that it was foggy in town, but the airport was clear. He also observed that the rotating beacon was illuminated, but not the pilot controlled runway lighting.

When the pilot did not appear at a company function at midday on December 18, they reported him overdue. The Prescott, Arizona, Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) issued an alert notice (ALNOT) at 1102 MST; the wreckage was located at 1835.

The National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) and investigators from the FAA and Honeywell examined the wreckage on site. A description of the debris field references debris from left and right of the centerline of the debris path. The debris was through trees on a slope that went downhill from left to right.

The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a topped tree with branches on the ground below it and in the direction of the debris field. About 50 feet from the tree were composite shards, and a piece of the composite engine nacelle, which had a hole punched in it.

The next point of contact was a 4-foot tree stump with shiny splinters on the stump. The lower portion of the tree had been displaced about 30 feet in the direction of the debris field with the top folded back toward the stump. Underneath the tree trunk were the nose gear and a couple of control surfaces followed by wing pieces.

One engine with the propeller attached was about 50 feet from the stump, and on the right side of the debris path. Next on the left side of the debris path was the outboard half of one propeller blade; another propeller blade was about 10 feet further into the debris field.

Midway into the debris field were several trees with sheet metal wrapped around them. Near the midpoint of the debris field, a portion of the instrument panel had imbedded into a tree about 15 feet above the ground. The wiring bundle hung down the tree trunk to ground level. To the left of the instrument panel was one of the largest pieces of wreckage. This piece contained the left and right horizontal stabilizers, vertical stabilizer, and part of one wing with the landing gear strut attached. The rudder separated, but was a few feet left of this piece.

Next in the debris field was a 6- by 8-foot piece of twisted metal, which contained the throttle quadrant.

About 100 feet right of the debris path centerline and downhill from the throttle quadrant was a 10-foot section of the aft cabin. This section was connected by steel cables and wires to a 4- by 7-foot piece of twisted metal.

The furthest large piece of wreckage was the second engine; the propeller hub with two blades attached had separated.

Carl Douglas was a risk-taker who never ran from a challenge,
built a multi-million company from scratch and loved to fly airplanes.
But he lost his life when those traits collided during a snowstorm in
the middle of the night at 4,200 feet.

Douglas, 54, was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon after local
authorities discovered the wreckage of his turbo-prop airplane high atop
Swede Mountain southeast of Libby. John Smith, 43, a passenger in the
plane also died in the crash.

The two men were travelling from Coolidge, Ariz., to
Libby for a business meeting Wednesday at Stinger Welding, where Douglas
was the CEO and Smith was an employee.

It was a heartbreaking loss for Douglas’ friends and
family, who described him as an outgoing, ambitious man who always
followed his dreams.

“He was a big dreamer, and he was a leader,” said
Linda Reid, Douglas sister. “But because of those dreams, he always went
after them. He never let things stop him, even weather conditions. And
everyone in the family knows he was pushing it because he had a meeting
on Friday.

“He broke the cardinal rule: There are old pilots and bold pilots, but you never hear about any old, bold pilots.”

Douglas grew up with three sisters and a younger
brother in Florence, Ariz. He joined his father in the construction
industry when he was in high school and later founded a series of
businesses in construction, bridge-building and welding.

He made a small fortune by building bridges across
the network of interstates that pass through Phoenix and other metro
areas in the Southwest. And he helped rebuild the Bay Bridge in the San
Francisco Bay Area after an explosion caused two levels of the bridge to
collapse in 2009.

His most recent venture was opening a branch office
in Libby for Stinger Welding, which is based in Coolidge, Ariz., near
his hometown of Florence. The branch office, which opened in 2009,
became one of Libby’s larger employers almost overnight.

The Stinger branch in Libby was heavily subsidized by
government grants intended to promote economic development. It ran into
financial trouble this year when bills piled up and contracts dried
up.

Douglas’ family said his intentions to help the Libby
community by creating jobs and a sustainable business were overshadowed
by Stinger’s financial trouble.

“I know he wasn’t perfect. Nobody is,” said Debbie
Holyoak, another one of Douglas’ sisters. “But he was a good man who
always had a smile on his face and always tried to help people. I don’t
know what possessed him to start the business in Montana, but it was
needed and he wanted to help the community.”

Susan Lamb, another one of Douglas’ sisters, said her
brother was an entrepreneur who worked hard for what he had. Her
parents, she said, had little money while she and her siblings were
growing up. “He was a hard worker who loved his job,” Lamb said.
“He wasn’t a guy who just sat and pushed a pencil or something. He was
always on the job, at the site.”

While in high school, Douglas stood out as someone
determined to succeed. A natural leader, he was elected president of the
class of 1977 at Florence High School.

During his senior year, he orchestrated a student
walk-out in protest of his principal’s decision to punish a volleyball
coach for allowing college volleyball players to practice with the high
school team, a violation of the athletic conference’s rules.

“Almost every kid in that school walked out that day,
and he’s the one who led the protest,” said Holyoak, who graduated in
the same class as Douglas. “He had talent. He was a leader.”

Douglas parlayed his leadership skills into a seat on the Florence City Council. He served as a councilman from 1986-1990.

Tom Rankin, the mayor of Florence, said he has known Douglas’ family for decades.

“He was a little bit younger than me, but we have
worked together,” Rankin said. “He gave to a lot of organizations, and
he didn’t go out and look for publicity. He was behind the scenes.”

Mike Hatch, who said he was Douglas’ best friend when
they were kids, remembers taking rides in a small plane owned by
Douglas’ father. Even then, Douglas enjoyed adventure and, specifically,
flying.

“He was either going full blast or he wasn’t going,”
Hatch said. “It was no surprise that he got his pilot license. He loved
to fly, and he’s been doing it for more than 20 years.”

Douglas used his plane to travel between his homes in
Arizona, Montana and Mexico. He often took friends and family on
fishing excursions off the Mexican coast.

“He always treated my kids so well, all seven of
them,” Holyoak said. “He took all of them to Mexico and would go camping
with them. They all loved him so much.”

To his family, Douglas was known almost exclusively
as “Joe.” His mother gave him the nickname after watching episodes of
the TV series “Bonanza,” starring Michael Landon as “Little Joe.”

Reid said her children will always remember drinking
slushes that their “Uncle Joe” made them whenever they would visit. She
said he “probably wore out several blenders making slushes for the
kids.”

“He was very kind and gentle person,” Reid said.
“But, like most men, he wore a suit of armor. You wouldn’t know he had a
kind tender heart.”

Douglas married late in life, and he treated his nieces and nephews like his own children, his sisters said.

Douglas left behind a wife, Stephanie Jordan, and an 11-year-old daughter, Paige.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Dec. 27 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Florence.

Reid said her brother may have been only 54 years old, but he lived enough life to fill 108 years. “You only live once. But if you do it right, that’s enough.” Holyoak said. “He died doing what he loved to do. He loved to fly.”

Libby
Police Officer Darren Short saw Carl J. Douglas’ Beechcraft King Air
drop below the clouds, maneuver a tight circle just above Town Pump and
head south toward Libby Airport.

The plane’s low-banking curve and then disappearance into the night sky urged Short to drive to Libby Airport to investigate.

“I
would guess that would be the case,” Short said, thinking Douglas was
looking for familiar bearings. After seeing the plane about 12:10 a.m.
Wednesday, Short drove to the airport.

“I got there and the
(rotating) beacon was on but not the airport runway lights. “Those are
activated by the pilot, so I don’t know if they came on but went out
when I got there or what,” Short said.

Douglas, 54, the CEO of
Stinger Welding, Inc., and his passenger, fellow Stinger employee John
Smith, 43, never made it to the airport. The two men died minutes later
Wednesday morning when Douglas crashed his twin-engine, turbo-prop
Beechcraft into the darkness of Swede Mountain just three miles
northeast of Libby Airport.

Circling Above

Short’s
report of a pilot desperately trying to find Libby’s airstrip in the
dark during a snowstorm was echoed by Shannon Myslicki, who lives at 232
Pinewood Lane just below Swede Mountain.

“I just let the dogs
out, and I hear this loud noise and then I see the lights,” Myslicki
said referring to aircraft landing-gear lights. “Usually, it’s trucks
out on the road, but this was a plane. It was low. We heard it once and
then heard it again later. It sounded like it was closer to Swede
Mountain to the left, rather than the airport.”

The time of the crash is estimated to be just after midnight, early Wednesday morning, Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe said.

“At the time of the crash, the (airport) lights were not on,” Bowe said Wednesday evening, briefing the local press.

Bowe
said the plane left Coolidge, Ariz., about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and the
craft was expected to land at Libby Airport about 3½ hours later.

Search Begins

According
to Libby Airport Board Chairman Ron Denowh, Douglas canceled his flight
plan as he approached Libby Airport, something pilots often do when
they are in the final throes of a flight.

“It’s just easier for them to do it from the air, as they’re wrapping up,” Denowh said.

However,
about 11 hours later — at 11:12 a.m. Wednesday — Steve Patrick, vice
president of Montana operations for Stinger Welding, called the Lincoln
County Sheriff’s Department to report the plane never arrived.

Reportedly,
Stinger officials began a search for Douglas and Smith on Wednesday
morning along the roads Douglas would have traveled to his home in the
Yaak. When that search proved fruitless, they searched for his plane in a
hangar at Libby Airport. In its absence, Stinger officials notified the
Sheriff’s Department, which initiated the search.

The wreckage
of the plane that carried Douglas and Smith, both from Coolidge, Ariz.,
was found about 8 p.m. Wednesday in the William’s Gulch area of Swede
Mountain, very near the summit of 4,295 feet.

Former Lincoln
County Commissioner John Konzen said he was told by officials at the
scene that it looked like Douglas was trying to maneuver away from the
mountain.

“It looked like he was banking and trying to turn toward the airport and didn’t make it,” Konzen said.

On
Thursday, Bowe and other David Thompson Search & Rescue
officials returned to the crash site as snow continued to fall in the
Libby. Rescue personnel Thursday were accompanied by search dogs.

Retrieving Bodies

A
statement from the Sheriff’s Department said officials were successful
in retrieving the bodies of the two men. County Coroner Steve
Schnackenberg was transporting the bodies to the Montana Crime Lab in
Missoula for autopsies.

Bowe described the debris field as extensive and scattered.

“It
was pretty close to the top,” Bowe said of the crash site, which could
only be reached with the aid of snowmobiles. About 25 people assisted in
the search, five of whom were from the Sheriff’s Department and the
balance from David Thompson Search & Rescue and Montana
Aeronautics, a Helena-based group that assists with locating plane
crashes.

On Thursday, The Western News attempted to charter a
flight to photograph the crash site, but inclement weather grounded Bill
Caldwell, owner of Kootenai Aviation.

Bowe said the debris field
was on the southern slope of the mountain, which is 2.9 miles from
Libby. He said in the twilight of the day Wednesday he could not
determine whether the plane crashed uphill or down.

Based on
last-known radar data, officials began their search in an area just off
Champion Haul Road. Libby Volunteer Ambulance, David Thompson Search
& Rescue, and concerned Stinger employees gathered about a mile
from Libby on the Haul Road as searchers scanned an area northeast of
that location. It was there that officials recorded the final electronic
beacon at an elevation of 5,900 feet. When those efforts revealed
nothing, searchers moved toward the airport and in line with Swede
Mountain.Savvy Pilot

Denowh had come to know Douglas well, and he said Douglas was an accomplished pilot.

“He’d
flown into Libby hundreds of times from Arizona,” Denowh said. “In
2011, logbooks indicate he’s flown into Libby 110 times, sometimes two
or three times a day.”

“I can tell you this: The rotating beacon
works. It was on,” Denowh said, trying to clear any confusion about
airport lighting. “(The rotating beacon) comes automatically at dusk and
goes off at sunrise.”

The runway lights, Denowh confirmed, are activated by the pilot as he approaches the airport.

Denowh
admitted recently one of the lights on the beacon was out, but that it
was quickly replaced. He also said the airport is transitioning between
managers, and no one was at the airport Tuesday night had Douglas tried
to call as he experienced problems locating the airstrip.

It was snowing heavily Tuesday night. Six inches fell during a 24-hour period.

“It’s just very likely (Douglas) couldn’t see the airport for the snow,” Denowh said.

Mike
Noble, of rural Libby, drove past the Libby Airport just after midnight
— early Wednesday — and said the airport was aflood with lights.

“I thought it odd that someone would be coming in at that hour, but the place was all lit up,” Noble said.

Short,
the Libby patrolman who saw Douglas’ plane bank over Town Pump, said it
looked as though “Douglas just got lost in the clouds.”

Douglas,
who often flew his Beechcraft from Arizona to Libby, was scheduled for a
Wednesday morning business meeting at the Libby Stinger offices. A
Stinger employee Christmas party was scheduled for today.

According
to incoming Airport Manager Jaime Gagnier, who searched for the crash
site Wednesday from the air, said there was little remaining of the
plane.

“We went up there, and we were right over the crash site
and couldn’t see it because the plane is white with all the snow,”
Gagnier said. “Bill and I and his wife, apparently, were right over it
and couldn’t find it. It wasn’t until guys came in with the (electronic)
locator to pinpoint the beacon that they were able to find the site.”

Gagnier said the only discernable piece of wreckage was the rear of the plane.

“Mostly,
just the tail section, which is were the (transmitter) is located. The
National Transportation Safety Board officials got right over the signal
and found it,” Gagnier said.

Gagnier said aeronautical officials
from the air recorded crash-site coordinates to ground search crews who
then were able to reach the wreckage. An NTSB investigation of the
crash will commence today.

According
to an aeronautical website, the Beechcraft is one of the more reliable
planes in use today. The site said a Beechcraft has not been involved in
a crash in the U.S. since 1990. “The King Air fleet has posted one of
the best safety records of any business airplane,” the website states.

Douglas,
who was a Florence, Ariz., city councilman, has been president and CEO
of Stinger Welding, Inc., a bridge- and span-building company, since its
founding in July 1996.

Steve Patrick, the Stinger vice president
of Montana operations, was asked for a statement Thursday, and Patrick
declined. He said the company would make a statement after Christmas.

LIBBY — Two people are believed to have died in a plane crash in northwestern Montana, authorities said Wednesday.Allen
Kenitzer of the Federal Aviation Administration said preliminary
reports are that a twin-engine Beech King Air100 was discovered
Wednesday about three miles north of Libby. The plane crashed Tuesday
night, he said.

Local
authorities reported that the two people on board were killed, Kenitzer
said. Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe told The Western News (http://bit.ly/TZNnQq) that rescuers concentrated their search in the Swede Mountain area, where the plane’s GPS beacon was last reported. The
FAA and the NTSB were investigating.
Additional information, including the plane’s registered owner and
possible identities of those aboard, could not immediately be confirmed.

“Usually,
it’s trucks out on the road, but this was a plane,” Myslicki told The
Western News of seeing lights in the sky around midnight Tuesday. “It
was low. We heard it once and then heard it again later. It sounded like
it was closer to Swede Mountain to the left, rather than the airport.”

A Facebook post from The Western News says Douglas' plane was found in William's Gulch, on top of Swede
Mountain, with an intact tail section but otherwise very damaged.

UPDATE: 5:49 p.m. The
plane was located in William's Gulch, on top of Swede Mountain. The
tail section of the plane, which housed the transmitter, was intact. The
rest of the plane was heavily damaged. No confirmation of bodies have
been made.

UPDATE: 6:08 p.m.
Libby Airport Manager Jaime Gagnier, went up in a small craft with Bill
Caldwell of Kootenai Aviation on Wednesday afternoon but could not
locate the wreckage because of heavy snowfall. National Transportation
Safety Board officials worked with Search and Rescue to find the
wreckage. At this time, there are believed to be no survivors.

Carl Douglas, CEO of Stinger Welding Inc., piloting his private
aircraft, is believed to be lost on a mountainside near Libby.

Douglas and one other person were believed to be on board.

According to David Thompson Search & Rescue officials, the plane's
GPS beacon was last monitored at 5,900 feet late Tuesday evening at a
location three miles southeast of Champion Haul Road.

The
plane, a twin-engine Beechcraft King Air, capable of 325 knots, was due
to arrive at Libby Area Airport later Tuesday evening, but did not
arrive.

Stinger officials, expecting Douglas for a meeting
Wednesday morning, initially suspected his car had gone off the road
after arriving at the airport.

However, when they contacted the airport, Douglas' plane was not in the hangar, and that initiated the search.

Reportedly, law officials heard a plane circling above the Libby clay
banks, but no plane landed at the airport during the night.

Shannon Myslicki, of 232 Pinewood Lane which is located below Swede
Mountain, said she turned her television off at midnight Tuesday and
heard the plane right over her house.

“I just let the dogs
out, and I hear this loud noise and then I see the lights,” Myslicki
said referring to aircraft lights. “Usually, it’s trucks out on the
road, but this was a plane. It was low. We heard it once and then heard
it again later. It sounded like it was closer to Swede Mountain to the
left, rather than the airport.”

Rescue workers, who began
their search where the GPS beacon last reported, moved their search
later Wednesday, according to Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe.

"We have been up in the Swede Mountain area. We fanned out, but we are
going to regroup. We are still looking and chasing down that beacon,”
Bowe said.

Stinger is a bridge and span builder that has a manufacturing branch in Libby.

Douglas has been President and CEO of Stinger since its founding in July 1996.

Stinger Welding was given $17 million from an economic development
group to help expand to Libby in July 2011. It had been hit with a
federal tax lien recently.

Edit: 4:52 p.m., a message was left with Stinger's corporate headquarters in Coolidge, Ariz. It had not been returned.

=============LIBBY - Wednesday night, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department
announced finding a downed aircraft and the body of Carl Douglas, owner
and CEO of Stinger Welding, one of the area's largest employers. The
wreck also claimed the life of an employee, John Smith.

The news has shocked the Libby community.

According to a press release issued by Lincoln County Sheriff Roby
Bowe, Douglas was piloting his small private plane, along with passenger
John Smith, a company driver. It went missing around midnight on
Tuesday, after failing to arrive as scheduled.

Late Wednesday night, Searchers finally located a large debris field about three miles northeast of the Libby Airport.

"It's bad for me, it's worse for his family and it's really bad for
Libby, because he was our only- the one and only industry we had here."

Stinger Welding has declined several requests to comment publicly about the accident.

LIBBY, MT - The CEO of an
Arizona-based bridge manufacturing company and one of his employees were
killed in a plane crash as they flew to northwestern Montana for a
company Christmas party. Stinger
Welding Inc. CEO Carl Douglas, of Coolidge, Ariz., and John Smith, also
of Coolidge, died in the crash late Tuesday or early Wednesday near
Libby, Sheriff Roby Bowe said in a statement.

The men left
Coolidge at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday with Douglas piloting the twin-engine
Beechcraft, Bowe said. They were to arrive just after midnight in Libby,
where Stinger has a bridge- and span-building operation. The men were
traveling to Libby for a company Christmas party on Friday, Stinger
employees told The Western News.

Colleagues reported the men
missing shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday. A Montana Aeronautics airplane
was able to locate the plane's emergency locator transmitter signal near
Swede Mountain, about three miles northeast of the Libby airport.
Search and rescue crews reached the site at about 8 p.m. Wednesday, Bowe
said.

The sheriff's office and county coroner were recovering the men's remains, Bowe said.

Shannon Myslicki, who lives below Swede Mountain, said she saw lights in the sky around midnight Tuesday.

"It
was low," she told The Western News. "We heard it once and then heard
it again later. It sounded like it was closer to Swede Mountain to the
left, rather than the airport."

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.

=============

Carl J. Douglas, the 54-year-old CEO of Stinger Welding who was killed in a plane crash Dec. 19, was not certified to pilot the aircraft that night.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration registration records, Carl James Douglas was only a student pilot and navigating the Beechcraft King Air 100 at night, above the clouds and without clear visibility of the ground exceeded his student qualifications.

Douglas and his passenger, John Smith, 43, died after Douglas’ twin-engine turbo-prop slammed into Swede Mountain just about three miles northeast of Libby Airport.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s website, Carl J. Douglas received his student pilot’s license on June 9, 2010. There are no records indicating Douglas had a full-fledged pilot’s license.

“It is correct to say the FAA records online indicate that (Douglas) was only a student pilot,” wrote Allen Kenitzer, manager of communications for the FAA in the Northwest Mountain and Alaska Region to an online inquiry from The Western News. “(However,) this is under investigation, and we don’t comment on ongoing investigations,” Kenitzer stated.

Similarly, The Western News did a search of the FAA site and found no full pilot certification for Douglas, 54, born June 8, 1958. However, Douglas’ student license approval was indicated.

A student’s license limitations are extensive. Most notably, a student pilot may not carry passengers, may not fly for hire or the furtherance of a business and may not fly above clouds or when visual reference cannot be made to the surface. Certainly, an investigation is incomplete, but it appears Douglas was in violation of all these limitations when he crashed shortly after midnight Dec. 19 in a snowstorm.

Currently, the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, which initially indicated would take a week to 10 days to complete.

As of Friday, the NTSB website has not indicated the results of that investigation.

Reports of Douglas’ lack of proper certification to pilot the aircraft at night in a snowstorm and with a passenger came as news to Ron Denowh, chairman of the board that governs Libby Airport.

“If that’s the case, that really surprises me,” said Denowh, who said he’s known Douglas for about four years. “I hate to hear this. If it’s true, there will probably be a lawsuit.”

Denowh said he’s witnessed Douglas fly into Libby many times.

“That plane has had hundreds of operations into Libby,” Denowh said. “From what I understood, he’s been flying all his life.”

Denowh admitted as pilots come and go from Libby Airport, there is not a mandatory certification check of a pilot’s license — no log that requires signing in and out with a pilot’s license number.

“It’s not up to me to check that,” Denowh said. “Carl did a lot of EPS (instrument only) approaches, which is an accomplishment. Normally, you just don’t pick that up.”